NextGen Bus Plan

You spoke, we listened. Together we created a better bus system.

The NextGen Regional Service Concept was reviewed and approved by the Metro Board of Directors in Summer 2019. The
Regional Service Concept
defines the goals and objectives of the new bus network and was developed through consideration of both technical data and all the priorities and personal experiences we heard from nearly 20,000 LA County residents through questionnaires and 300 meetings, events, presentations and workshops. Together with your comments, the Regional Service Concept guided the NextGen bus service planners through this system redesign process to create the
Draft NextGen Bus Plan
.

Now, the Metro NextGen redesign process has transitioned from the Study phase into the Plan phase. After hearing from our community members and study participants, we are excited to show you what our team has been working on! Starting in February 2020, a series of public workshops will be hosted by Metro where proposed bus line changes and system upgrades will be showcased.

So, what is NextGen?

In 2018, Metro began the process of reimagining our bus system to better meet the needs of current and future riders through the NextGen Bus Study. After all, the Metro bus network carries 70% of all transit riders in the county and has not had a major overhaul in 25 years. Since that time, our county has evolved dramatically, with over a million residents added and the transformation of many local communities with new travel patterns. Today, LA County has 105 miles of rail service and service will continue to grow steadily over the next 25 years. In addition, with new transportation options like ride hailing apps and bike share, it is important that our bus system integrates with all the ways Angelenos travel today, with flexibility built in for the future. Now in the next phase of the project, the goal of the
NextGen Bus Plan
is to implement a new bus network that is more relevant, reflective of, and attractive to the residents of LA County. We believe this redesigned network will improve service to current customers, attract new customers and win back past customers.

We are excited to share the proposed Draft NextGen Bus Plan (Draft Plan) with you. This Draft Plan (
board report
) was developed with input from you and thousands of others along with thorough technical analysis. It addresses every Metro bus route with the goal of creating a new competitive bus system that is
fast, frequent, reliable and accessible
.

Provide more than 80% of current bus riders with 10 minute or better frequency

Improve and expand midday, evening and weekend service, creating an all-day, 7-day-a-week service

Ensure a ¼-mile walk to a bus stop for 99% of current riders

Create a more comfortable and safer waiting environment

The changes shown in this Draft Plan are proposals only. We have released them for the sole purpose of gathering your feedback on these changes.
Our team will be listening to you and gathering input on the Draft Plan through April 2020. Based on what we hear, we will then develop final proposals that you will also be able to review and provide input at public hearings later this year, targeted for June.

What is the current status?

The Metro NextGen redesign process has transitioned from the Study phase into the Plan phase and is currently in Step 3 (please see graphic below). Metro staff has processed all the robust data and input received to date and has restructured current bus lines and updated the entire bus system. With the draft of the Metro
NextGen Bus Plan
now developed, these new service concepts will be presented to the Metro Board and the public in early 2020.

Step 1, which focused on elevating public awareness and listening to stakeholder groups input, was completed in Summer 2018. This included listening to past, current and potential riders about their habits, needs, preferences and how they want to get around.

During Step 2, we asked the community to consider tradeoffs when telling us about their transit priorities. We then dove deeper into analyzing technical data that helped the team understand how Angelenos travel throughout LA County (please see the
NextGen Data Center
to explore this data). All this information helped to inform the service design considerations within the
Regional Service Concept
.

Out of an abundance of caution, and following the most recent public health guidelines, Metro is cancelling the remainder of the Next Gen in-person community workshops planned in March and April, and transitioning to alternative ways of gathering public input. Planning for the future of bus service in LA County is still a top focus for our Metro staff so we can provide LA County residents the best possible bus service when this health pandemic passes. We still need your input to keep this important project moving forward.

Overview

1.
What is the NextGen Bus Plan?

In 2018 Metro began the process of reimagining our bus system to better meet the needs of current and future riders through the NextGen Bus Study (Study). Now in the next phase of the project, the goal of the NextGen Bus Plan (Plan) is to implement a new bus network that is more relevant, reflective of, and attractive to the residents of LA County. We believe this redesigned network will improve service to current customers, attract new customers and win back past customers.

The Plan is also an essential component of Metro’s Vision 2028 to build a comprehensive World Class Transportation System. The Plan is expected to improve rider experience and provide competitive service where people choose Metro as a transportation option.

2. How will the NextGen Bus Plan make bus service a competitive option for Angelenos?

We can better connect Angelenos to where they want to go by:

Creating a bus system that both reconnects with our existing customers and elevates transit in LA County

Implementing a range of service improvements on all major and key corridors throughout the county

Refocusing service in areas with the greatest travel demand and simplifying routes and schedules

Coordinating with LA County’s other bus agencies to ensure service is as seamless as possible for passengers

Improving stop amenities and enhancing security features, such as real-time information and lighting

These improvements will make it easier for more people to choose Metro bus service by:

Providing 83% of current bus riders with 10 minute or better frequency

Doubling the number of frequent Metro bus lines

Improving and expanding midday, evening and weekend service

Ensuring a ¼-mile walk to a bus stop for 99% of current riders

Utilizing stop consolidation and streamlined service to create short walks, shorter waits and faster travel

Creating a more comfortable and safer waiting environment

3.
Why is Metro doing this now?

Simply put, the bus network is the backbone of the Metro system carrying over 70% of all Metro customers, but it has not had a major overhaul in 25 years. Since that time, our county has evolved dramatically. Over a million residents have been added, transforming many local communities with new travel patterns. The Metro Rail system was just beginning 25 years ago, but now LA County has 105 miles of service and service will continue to grow steadily over the next 25 years. In addition, with new transportation options like ride hailing apps and bike share, it is important that our bus system integrates with all the ways Angelinos travel today, with ­flexibility built in for the future.

4
.
What is the timeline for the NextGen Bus Plan?

The Study began in 2018 and focused on studying customer and countywide travel patterns, evaluating current bus service and collecting countywide feedback to help inform the service concepts that have guided the development of the Plan. With the Draft NextGen Bus Plan now developed, here’s what comes next:

January 2020:
Metro Board will consider allocating resources and releasing the draft plan

February-March 2020:
Public Workshops will be held across the county

June 2020:
Public hearings will take place in conjunction with the Metro Service Council meetings before any changes or restructuring of the system are considered by the Board of Directors

September 2020:
Final Bus Service Plan will be presented to the Metro Board for their consideration and approval

December 2020:
Phase 1 implementation will begin

Future phased implementation aligns with scheduled service changes

5.
Will the NextGen Bus Plan result in minor adjustments to the current bus network or truly redesign the system with a “clean slate approach”?

The goal of the Plan is to create an attractive and competitive world-class bus system. To achieve this goal, Metro is planning to refocus service in areas with the greatest travel demand and simplify routes and schedules to create operational efficiencies, as well as invest 10% more in capital improvements to help maximize bus speed, reliability and customer experience, thus increasing potential ridership growth. Improvements to the bus network are based upon the principle of reinventing and improving existing network resources, rather than starting from a “clean slate.”

Planning and Public Feedback

6. How will the NextGen Bus Plan be integrated with Metro’s other studies and projects?

Metro accounted for long and short-term transit projects and studies that involved or impacted the NextGen Bus Study and its resulting Plan. Among the projects considered were the Metro Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Vision and Principles Study, Metro Rail/BRT Capital Projects, Metro Long Range Transportation Plan, and the Metro MicroTransit Pilot Project and Mobility on Demand Grant Program.

7. Will bus service provided by the LA County municipal transit operators also be included in the NextGen Bus Plan?

Metro values the role local municipal bus operators play within the LA County transit landscape. As part of the effort to reconnect with our customers and maximize current resources, the Plan has coordinated with municipal operators throughout LA County to create seamless transit access for all customers. This collaborative process will improve the interaction between the revamped Metro Bus Network and the networks of municipal operators.

8. At this point in the NextGen Bus Plan what type of feedback has been received?

In an effort to gain public input Metro has participated in public outreach activities including the distribution of surveys and attendance at nearly 300 meetings and events. Metro has received input from the public and stakeholders, including responses from over 12,000 survey participants and collected over 14,500 comments. To date, this feedback has resulted in the following recurring themes to be addressed by the Plan: equity, customer experience, connectivity, engagement, accessibility and schedules. Additional input received focuses on operator issues, education, safety, technology and fares. While these issues will not be specifically addressed by the Plan, comments related to these topics will be shared with the appropriate internal departments for consideration.

9. Will the NextGen Bus Plan consider the unique needs and desires of my community?

One of the goals of the Plan is to receive input from stakeholders throughout LA County. Public participation will help ensure that the Plan considers each community’s needs and character.

Funding/Resources

10. Will the NextGen Bus Plan be constrained to the current level of service hours?

Metro is planning to refocus service in areas with the greatest travel demand and simplify routes and schedules to create operational efficiencies, as well as investing 10% more in capital improvements to help maximize bus speed, reliability and customer experience, thus increasing potential ridership growth.

11. How will fares be affected?

Fares are not being considered as part of this effort.

12. Will there be further opportunities for public input on the NextGen Bus Plan?

Yes. Metro will actively solicit input throughout the course of the project. Here are some of the current opportunities:

Check the project website and Story Map tool regularly or sign-up for our mailing list at metro.net/nextgen for updates

The proposed Draft NextGen Bus Plan (Draft Plan) can be explored in full using interactive maps and detailed line-by-line descriptions by
clicking here
. However, for your convenience, the following provides access to GIS shapefiles, PDF documents and other data that was utilized to create this interactive experience.

Please note that the changes shown in the Draft Plan are proposals only. We have released them for the sole purpose of gathering your feedback on these changes.
Our team will be listening to you and gathering input on the Draft Plan through April 2020. Based on what we hear, we will then develop final proposals that you will also be able to review and provide input at public hearings later this year, targeted for June.

NextGen Bus System
:
This zip file contains the GIS shapefiles for the proposed NextGen bus system. These shapefiles include geometries for all proposed bus routes, as well as route frequencies. The frequencies are categorized based on the different time periods within weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Existing Bus System
:
This zip file contains the GIS shapefiles for the existing bus system. These shapefiles include geometries for all existing bus routes, as well as route frequencies. The frequencies are categorized based on the different time periods within weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Metro’s Transit Service Policy (TSP)
establishes criteria and guidelines to ensure that the transit system is developed and managed consistent with policy guidance approved by the Metro Board of Directors, including a formal process for evaluating services, service design guidelines, and a process for implementing service changes.

Transit Propensity:
Areas where the propensity to use transit is the greatest embody three main characteristics. First, there is a significantly large population of transit market segments, including people who rely on transit for most of their travel, commuters and students who use transit for work and school trips, and discretionary riders who choose transit for some or all their trips. Second, is the intensity of travel demand to and from areas based on population and employment densities, retail and entertainment, colleges and universities, and other trip generators. For NextGen, cell phone location data is also being used to identify areas of greatest travel intensity. Finally, a pedestrian oriented street environment is also critical, including safe and well lighted pathways, sidewalks and curb-cuts, grid street network, and level topography.

Transit Propensity Map:
This map allows you to explore how likely people are to use transit in specific areas based on these characteristics. To do so, open the “Layers List” and select which layers you would like to view on the left-hand side of the screen.

Equity Focused Areas
:
This zip file contains the GIS shapefiles for communities with the greatest mobility needs. NextGen goes beyond the Title VI requirements of not disparately impacting minority and disproportionately impacting low income populations by also considering impacts to zero car households, population aged 10-19 and 55+, single mothers, and persons with disabilities. All criteria were averaged to develop the equity score. Minorities, low income and zero car households were weighted twice as important as the other criteria to be consistent with the Metro Long Range Transportation Plan definition of Equity Focused Communities.